Method and machine for knitting



` July 8, 1941.v K, HowlE y l, 2,248,501

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METHOD AND MACHINE FOR KNITTING Filed Dec. 22, 19,39 V11 Sheets-Sheet 4 f Suma/whom.

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METHOD AND MACHINE FOR KNITTING Fned bec. 2:2, 1939 11 sheets-sheet 9 July 8, .1941.-

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l METHOD AND MACHINE FORKNITTING I 'Filed Dec. 22, 1939 11 snggfgsQsn'eqt 1o HHMHhh t., MSE Mm MZ July 8, 1941. v K. Howie: y 2,248,501 I METHOD AND MACHINE FOR KNITTING I 'Filed Dec. 22, 1959 11 Sheets-Sheet .11 n

/93 ag '89 193 las '9 lso atented July 8, 194i sTTEs PATENT, orrica METHOB MACHINE FOR KNITTING Kenneth. Howie, Norristown, Pa., assigner 'to Wil tion of Pennsylvania n Mfg. Co., Norristown,

Pa., a corpora- Application December 22, 1939, Serial No. 310,627

35 Claims.

'step needles, hold them While the heel tabs are being knit, and thereafter restore said instep loops to the needles.

In said known machine, it Was the practice to' spread the heel tabs-laterallyand impale on the needles lying out beyond the instep series, certain loops of said heel tabs, so that knitting of the foot could be proceeded with as a continuation of the leg and heel tab fabric. This act of impaling loopsl of the heel tabs upon the needles just referred to was done by hand. Diiiiculty has been experienced, especially in fine gauges, say of 54 cut, in performing said hand operation of impaling the heel tabs on the needles, and in order to facilitate this work of the attendant, a Wale of enlarged loops was formed near the inner selvage edge of the heel tabs which enabled the operator to impale this portion of the heel tab fabric onto the needle with comparative ease.

These Walesof enlarged loops, one in each heel tab, were formed, as just stated, near the inner selvages of the heel tabs, but with ysay two or three wales of ordinary size loops between said wale of enlarged loops and the extreme inner selvages, the initial loopsof these Wales being of v fine gauge, and having been knit oir from their needles during the knitting of the heel tabs, the operator had to exercise unusual care in impalig their: on the needles for further knitting (f the foo One object of this invention is'to relieve the operator of this delicate operation by automatically restoring these fine gauge initial loops of the said two or three wales, lying intermediate the Wale of enlarged .loops andthe inner selvage, onto the needles.

For this purpose, broadly speaking, extra transfer points are provided in the present invention on the same bar which carries the instep points.

but out beyond the series of said instep transferv points. These extra transfer points'A take ofi or receive from the needles the two or three fine -gauge loops, Which, for convenience, may be called initial heel tab loops, 'hold them while the 65 heel tabs are being knit, and thereafter restore them to the needles, following which the operator, by' hand, impales the Wale of enlarged loops of heel tabs onto the needles, so that the knitting of the foot fabric now can be; proceeded with as a continuation from the heel tabs and with a full complement of loops made up of those impaled by hand and those restored automatically to the needles.

In carrying out this automatic action just mentioned; the fewflne gauge initial loops of the heel tabs, i.- e., belonging to'the Wales lying between the Wale of enlarged loops Iand the inner selvages, are taken oi or received from their needlesby the extra transfer points above mentioned by so operating the instep bar that the said extra points Will operate at the back or beardless side of the needles, and because the said extra transfer points and instep points are carried, as statedvby the-same bar, i. e., the instep bar, the action of the instep points in relation to their respective'needles is substantially the same as is the action of the extra transfer points in relation to those needles from which the few loops of the rst course of theheel tab are removed, and onto'which said few loops are restored for continuing the knitting of thefoot. That is to say, in taking oil the instep loops and the two or three loops -of the initial course of the heel tabsrthe said points, instep and extra, all

operate simultaneously on the beardless-side or I back of the needles. In this Way, the-subsequent' knitting of the heel tabs is not interfered with because the beards may be pressed for ,casting oli' the loops as the knitting of the heel tabs progresses, as in ordinary practice.

After the heel tabs have been knit, the two or three loops of the initial course are impaled automatically onto the needles for continuing the knitting to produce the foot.

I have mentioned two or three as the number of heel tab loops that are automatically taken care of at the ends of the instep loops, but the invention is not limited toany particular number of said loops, this number being dependent upon the number of Wales lying between' the Wale of enlarged loops and the inner selvage edge of the heel tabs.

Figure 1- is an enlarged view showing the portion of the needle row which knits part of the l returning the instep loop to the needle.

several heel tab courses having been knit and the loop receiving points being in the loops which they received.

Fig. 3 shows the same portion of the needle row, the heel tabs having been knit and cast off, and the loop receiving points being in position to return their loops to the needles. i

Fig. 4 shows the same portion of the needle row, the heel tab being turned outwardly and the loops of one of its wales being located upon the needles.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged front view of a loop receiving point.

Fig. 5a is a side view of the point of Fig. 5.

Fig. 5b is a section on the line Bb-Sb ofFlg. 5a.

Fig. 5c is a section on the line 5c-5c of Fig. 5a.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged side view of a knitting needle.

Fig. 6a is a rear view ofthe needle of Fig. 6.

mechanism for swinging the hanging frame employed inthe invention. Fig. 22 is -a detail view of the auxiliary control shaft for actuating the hanging frame.

Fig. 23 is a detail of one of the cams on the vauxiliary control shaft.

Fig. 24 is a detail of another one of the cams on the auxiliary control shaft.

Fig, 25 is an elevation of the lefthand end di Fig. 19.

Fig. 26 is a rear elevation ofthe lower part of I Fig. 27 is a. vertical sectional view through the Fig. 6b is a section on the line (ib-6b of Fig. 6.

' Fig. 6c is a section on the line Go-Sc of Fig. 6.

Fig. 7 shows the relation between the loop re'- ceiving points and the needles at the rst step in receiving the loops.

Fig. 8 shows a point about to enter an. instep loop, the relation between 'the point and needle being as in Figure 1.

Fig. 8a corresponds to Fig. 8 with respect to a heel tab loop, the new yarn having been laid against the needle stein.

Fig.9 shows the point having entered the instep loop. y

Fig. 9a corresponds to Fig. 9 with respect to the heel tab loop, the new yarn having entered into' the needle beard.

Fig. 10 shows the needle beard against the press bar to cast off the instep loop in which the l point is located.

Fig. 10a corresponds to Fig. 10 with respect to the heel tab loop, the new yarn being nearly drawn through the loop in which the point is located.

Fig. 11 shows the instep loop entirely upon the point, having been cast o of the needle.

Fig. 11a corresponds to Fig. '11 with respect to the heel tab loop, the newly formed loop being.

upon the needle and the cast oi loop being upon the point.

Fig. 12 shows the instep loop and its receivingpoint moved away from the needle, this relation being that shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 12a corresponds to.Fig. 12 with respect to the heel tab loop, the successive courses ofthe heel tabs being shown between the needle and the loop which vwas received upon the point.

Fig. 13 shows the point in its path of returning the instep loop to the needle. A

Fig. 14 shows the point further. in its path Flg. 15 shows the point and needle nearly in position for transfer of theinstep loop to the l needle.

Fig. 16 shows the needle aboutto receive the instep loop from the point, this relation being that shown in Fig. 3. I

Fig. 17 shows the instep loop entirely upon the needle and the point moved away therefrom, this I relation being that shown in Fig. 4. ,f

Fig'. 18 is a side elevation of a machine with which the invention may be carried out.

Fig. 19 is a front view of the upper part of the machine. l

Fig. 20 is an elevationv of the rlghthand end of Fig. 19.

lefthand portion of the hanging frame.

Fig. 28 is a plan of the details at the upper part of Fig. 27.

Fig. 29 is a side elevation of at the upper part of Fig. 25.

Fig. 30 is an end elevation of Fig. 29.

Fig.'30a isa section through Fig. 30.

Fig. 30b is a side elevation of one of the cams of Fig. 30.

Fig. 31 is a view similar to Fig. 27 showing the parts in position for narrowing. i

Fig. 32 shows the parts of the upper portion of Fig. 31 in another relation.

Fig. 33 shows the parts of Fig. 27 in ordinary knitting relation.

Fig. 34 is an elevation of mechanism at the upper central part of Fig. 19.

Fig. 35 is a side elevation of Fig. 34.

Fig. 36 is similar to Fig. 35, the parts being in different relation.

Figs. 37, 37a, and 37b are side, end, and bottom views of one of the parts of Fig. 34'.

Figs. 38 and 38a ar'e side and the cam assembly another part of Fig. 34.

Figs. 39 and 39a. are sideand end views of another part of Fig. 34.

Fig; 40 is a plan view of a portion of the righthand part of the machine.

Fig. el is a detail of a part of Fig. 40.

The points 6 which receive loops from the needles 2 and subsequently deliver these loops to the same needles, are carried in a cross-bar 5 (Figs. 18 and 19) of a frame 1 which is pivotable about a bearing at I2. 4The points 6 are spaced apart the same as the spacing of the needles, and are sumcient in number to receive al1 of the instep loops and the next three loops at each end of the instep loops. Three such loops have been selected to illustrate the invention, but a larger or less number may be received at each end 4of the series of instep loops; When reference is hereinafter hadI to the three end loops, it is in tended to comprehend a dierent number which may be handled in a similar manner in any particular circumstance. Reference may be had to Figs. 1 and 2 for4 anillustration 'of the loops which, with the apparatus here shown, are recelved by points 6.

In Figs. 1 and 2, only the portion of the fabric adjacent the corner formed by the inner 'selvage of one of the heel tabs and the instep is shown, since the corresponding corner of the other heel tab is similar, and the remaining portion of the heel tab and instep should be evident. The i course at the top of Fig. 1 is the last course of the leg of the fabric knitted before the first course of the heel tabs is knit. The loops h and the other loops to the left of them in Fig. 1 are the loops of the fabric onto, which the heel tab courses will be knit, and are hereinafter referred to as heel tab foundation loops. The loops i and Fig. 21 is a detail plan view of a part of 'the 75 the other loops to the right of them in Fig. 1' are the ones ordinarily designated instep loops, and

from which no knitting will be performed while the heel tabs are being knit. This is evident.

from Fig. 2, which showsa number of heel tab courses knit from the loops h, but no courses knit from the loops i of the instep. The loops i and h have consequently moved away from the row d-d of needles 2 in Fig, 2.

The instep loops i and the loops h are received from their needles on points 6 at the time that the course in which they lie is knit o, as will be described in detail. The heel tabs are then knit, the instep and heel tab foundation points ref maining in their loops h and i. After the heel tabs have been completed and have been castoi of the needles, it is necessary to return to the point 3, when against this side of the needles, will enter the loops which rare upon the needles, the lower end of each point is formed with a portion 6a (Figs. 5 and 5a) bent toward the needle,-

so, that it may enter an eye 2a in the beardless sideof the needle (Figs. 6, 6a, and 60) VThe eye 2a of the needle is slightly belowthe eye 2b in the beard side of the needle for receiving the needle beard. Consequently, when the needle moves downwardly .to draw the new thread through the loop about to be cast off the needle, the point 6,

needles the instep loops i as well as the three The loops of this wale are designated I in Fig. 2,

and in order to facilitate their placement upon the needles, they are formed as large loops. Since the loops h and i are caught under the beards of their needles, and therefore cannot be dislodged during the placement of loops l on their.

needles, this operation is greatly simplified, and this `constitutes an important feature of thev invention. Afterthe loops l have been speared on their needles,v the fabric appears as in Fig. 4.

The foot portion of the hose is then knit onto the fabric in the usual manner.

It has always been diicult to replace upon the needles the loops h which are between the instep loops i and the first loose loop l, irrespective of whether the loops h are only one or more in number. This dimculty has been because these particular loops h must be of the small size of the ordinary fabric loops, and can be found andv handled only with diiculty.- Itis for this reason that additional points are provided on the bar 5 which is moving downwardly with the needle, en-

, ters this loop about to be cast oi, and this entry is assured because of the location of portion 6a of the point in the eye 2a of the needle. As has been stated, the points .6 remain inthe loops h and i after they have been cast off the needles vand during the knitting of the heel tabs, as appears from Fig. 2.

` In returning the loops h and i to the needles after the heel tabs have been fully knit and cast oil, the points are brought over the tops 4of needles and against their-'beard side, and this iinal .Y

relationship is shown in Fig. 3. To assure registration between the point and the needle, so that this redelivevy may be effected, the point is Figs. 8a to 12a. The gures bearing the letter a out beyond the ends of the series of instep points to receive the three loops. at each end of the series of instep vloops at the same time that the instep loops are received. These additional end loops h,'by being' retained upon points 6 during the time that the heel tabs are being knit, are returned to the needles along with the return of the instep loops i, and the difiiculty heretofore experienced by hand #operation isaltogether eliminated. f l

To make it possible to receive the loops h from the needles without preventing thel further knitting from theseloops of the heel tab courses, the points 8 are brought against the side of the needie opposite from the beard. This is an important feature of the invention because the beard side of the needle is thereby left free to receive the newyarn and the needle may move against the press-bar to knit the new yarn in the' ordinary manner. The .presence of the points 6 on the back or beardless side of the needle does not,

therefore, in any way interfere with the usual show a needle in the same position as a needle in the correspondingly numbered gure, with the difference that the figures not having' this letter show a needle atthe instep portion of the fabric, while the figures having this letter show a needle at the heel tab portion ofthe fabric. `Thus, in Fig. 8 is-shown a needle having one of the instep loops i of Fig. 1, while in Fig. 8a is shown a needle having one of the heel tab foundation loops h .of Fig. 1. Both the needle of Fig. 8 and the needle of Fig. 8a are in the identical part of their paths of movement.

In Fig. 'l the needle 2 has risen through its instep loopi to the position at which a new yarn would be received. Shortly before lthe needle reached this position, the frame 1, which is ordinarily in an upper position shown in full lines in Fig. 18, was swung downwardly about its pivot I2 to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 18. This brings the instep points '6 to a position spaced from the beardless side ofthe needle, as

' shown 1n Figs-.'18 and '1. since the loop i is 'an l it receives the loop from the needle. It is not In Fig. 1, the points 8 are shown against the beardless side of the needles 2. In order that the Aas show the steps by which the loops are received upon the points v8 from the needles 2, the needle is moving through its regular knitting path. This is 'an important feature of .the invention made possible by the fact `that point 6 is on the beardless side of the needle durin-g the time that necessary, therefore, to cause the machine to go through a portion of its narrowing motion, as hasl been the usual practice, when 'the loops are ycourses of the heel tabs. o 'away from the needlesby the combined action of bodily transferred from-the needles to the points. The machine performs its regular knitting motion to cast off the loop thereon, but because the loop is on a point 6, the loop remains upon or is quent ngureashowing the steps in the transfer` of the loops i from the points back to the needles, apply to the loops h as well.- In Fig. 13 the needle is starting to pass through the last half ofv the ordinary needle narrowing motion, the cam shaft 4 having been shogged to cause this to occur. 'Ihe hooks formed by the'beards of the needle. One

of the yarns y appears in Fig. 8o. The points 6, which by this time have ymoved against the needles with their bent portions Sawithin the eyes 2a of the needles, are moving downwardly with the needles and their. lower ends are about to enter the loops i and h upon the needles.

In Figs. 9 and 9a the points and needles have moved further downwardly, so that the points 6 have entered the loops on the needles. In these figures, the needles have also moved toward the presser bar from their position in Figs. 8 and 8a. In Fig. 9a the new yarn y is now within the beard of the needle.

In Figs. 10 and 10a the needles are against the presser barda to close the beard and the needles are moving downwardly through the loops h and,

i so as to cast them off. -The points 6 are now well within these loops which will be cast off. In Fig. 10a the new yarn y is about to be drawn through the loop h which is to be cast oiI.

In Figs. 11 and 11a the needles have moved downwardly far enough to cast off the loops h and i. It is not necessary to move the points down from their position in Figs. 10 andlOa, since the lower ends of the points are below the tops of the knock-over bits d, and the fabric therefore cannot .drop off of the points. The points 6 having thus remained in the loops, the reception of the loops upon the points from the needles is now completed. In Fig. 11a the new yarn y has been drawn through the cast off loop h and the new loop so formed is within the beard of the needle. In Fig. 11 there is no such new loop upon the needle. because no yarn was fed to the instep needles, and the instep loops i are therefore entirely free of the needles. Since the needles are going through their regular knitting motion in Figs. 11 and lla, they have moved away from the presser bar. It is necessary that the points 6 likewise have moved away from the presser bar, as appears in these figures.

Freire-the positions in Figs. 11 and 11a, the

needles continue to go' through their regular knitting cycles in orderv to knit the several The fabric is drawn the usual take-up means and by means hereinafterdescribed, so that after several courses have v been knit, the points are spaced from the needles" as shown in Figs. 12 and 12a. In Fig. 12a the heel tab courses are shown between the needle 2 and the loop h on the point 6. To retain the loops h and i upon the points while the heel tabs are knit, the knock-over bits 4 in this region of the fabric 4are elongated to form extensions 4b lying between the points, as appears Vin Figs. 12 and 12a. For this reason, the lower endsvof the points are maintained at or near the low level at which they receive the loops. During the knitting of these heel tabs, narrowing may be performed as required.

Fig. 13 shows the return of the points t toward the needles after the heel tabs are completed and have been dropped off the needles. The return .of the heel tab loops h is the same as the return of the instep loops i, and Fig. 13 and the'subse needles and narrowing frame have just passed` through the first half of the narrowing motion, butthls is merely an idle movement as there are no loops on the needles.

In Fig. 14, the point is passing over the top of the needle to reach the beard side thereof, and in Fig. 15 the pointis lowered on the beard .side of the needle. The point has been lowered enough in Fig. 15 so that the fabric is brought'upon the knock-over bits l. This permits the sinkers Ib to move over the fabric when they are advanced, the sinkers being partly so advanced in Fig. 15. In Fig. 16 the point and needle have -been broughttogether so that the beard of the needle lies in the eye 6b of the point 6. Upward move ment ofthe needle and of the point will cause the needle to enter the loop of the fabric, and will cause the point to withdraw from the loop, due to the factv that the fabric is being held down by the sinker 3b.. This relation is shown in Fig. 17, from which it appears that the transfer of the loop fromthe point to the needle has been completed, the loop i being upon the same needle it was on in Fig. v'1.- Inl like manner, the three loops h at each end of the instep loops are again upon their original needles.

After the heel tabs have been then turned outwardly and the large wale lof loops l speared on be lowered to receive the loops of the last course of the new fabric before the heel tabs. To cause the frame to become disengaged from clamp I9 and be lowered `automatically at the proper time, it isgiven a forward movement by the upper end of an arm 20 which is brought against the frame 1 (Figs. 18, 19, 20). The arm 20 is secured to a rock shaft 2| rotatably supported in the upright arms 22 secured to a fixed bar 23 of the machine framework. Also fixed .to rock shaft 2i is an arm 2'4 which is connected by a link v25 to one'arm 26 of a bell crank lever pivoted upon an upright 28 of the machine framework. The other movement of a lug 32 on the side of a plate on control shaft b. l Control shaft b is the shaft b of'the machine disclosed in the Howie et al. Patent 1,982,991, issued December 4, 1934, being 'there designated as a yarn changer shaft. A

spring 33 acts to withdraw the arm 29 from the frame l, Aand als to urge the end 3i of lever 99 into the path of ug 32.

At an appropriate time shortly before the course containing the loops h.V and i is knit, and

A preferably lduring the knitting of the high splice of the heel, the lug 32 acts to cause the arm 2t! to '-.kick the frame 'l forward sumciently for it to turn by gravitydownwardly about pivot iii. 'l'hel (Figs. 19 and 20).

rthe upper ends of uprights 3B. These uprights 35 are secured to a cross bar 31 iixed between the arms il which provide the pivot points I2 at their forward ends about which the frame 1 turns. The connecting member 38 of the piston 36 is pivoted to a pin 39 which projects from a block d secured to the cross bar I3 fixed in frame 1. The member 38 is wide enough to bear -against the cylinder wall andA serve as a guide for the piston in and out of the cylinder. The lower part of member 38 is cut away to receive the cross bar I3, as appears in Fig. 20.

When the frame 1 is in its upper position, the piston 35 is -furthermost within the cylinder 35. Downward movement of the frame 1 causes the piston to move outwardly of the cylinder, and this is resisted by the suction created within the cylinder. When the frame 1 has nearly reached its lowermost point, the piston passes beyond a port opening di in the side of .the cylinder 35. This releases the suction above the piston and allows the frame 1.to fall rapidly during the last portion a of its downward movement.l

Such final rapid motion of the frame 1 gives the frame suicient momentum to cause an inclined surface d2 (Fig. 21) on the side of the frame 1 to force inwardly a pin .d3 which is pressed outwardly of a slide bar 45 by a spring d5, The pin t3 in this manner is brought into the cam groove 5| formed in block 52 secured to one of the arms of frame 1. Through the connection so established, back and forth movement imparted to the slide bar 45 causes'the frame 1 to. swing about its pivot I2', so that the points 6 move back and forth in' a horizontal direction.

Slide bar 45 is supported and guided by faces 53 (Fig. 20) which bear on the top and bottom fiat sides thereof, and by a rod extension 5 lower end of link 69 is slotted to receive the reduced end 'l of shaft c, and in this manner maintain the roller 68 upon the cam. Rotation of shaft c will move the arms ll up and down about the shaft. l@ to which they are aiiixed. Shaft l is pivotally mounted in the upper ends of arms 9 of vthe narrowing frame.l

To draw thevarms il downwardly and main` vtain roller 6B upon the periphery of cam 61, an

arm 1| (Fig. 20a) is amxed to shaft ill'centrally of the machine, and a spring l is con- .,fnected to this arm. The lower end of spring i5 is anchored to the guard l5 which receives the narrowing knife l1 when not in use. These latter parts form no part of the present invention,l

, but it may be mentioned that the knife l1 is thereof which may reciprocate in a bore hole 55.

The guide faces 53 and bore hole 55 are formed in a lower forward extension l5 'of one of the arms 9 amxed to cross rod 8 of the narrowing frame d1. To reciprocate the slide bar 45, an

. arm 56 (Figs. 2i), 2l) projecting therefrom carries a pin 51 which enters a cam groove 58, 58 (Fig. 24), formed on the side of a cam plate 59 by affixed cam pieces 6l and 62 and central cam piece 63. To limit outward movement of the slide bar i5 and prevent movement of pin 51 from the cam groove 58, 58', a pin 6d projecting from the side of arm 55 is located to strike the pin 65 secured in part ld (Figs. 20, 2l).

The cam plate 59 is secured to an auxiliaryd cam shaft c rotatably supported in bearings of both arms 9. Rotation of shaft -c a half turn will cause the portion 58 of the cam groove to draw the frame 1 toward the needles from the initial position, shown in Figs. 7 and 20, which it and the points 6 assume after the downward movement of the frame. This half turn rotation of shaft c occurs as one complete motion, by` means which will be described, during the time that the needle is going through the portion of its knitting cycle in which the new yarn isfdrawn through the #loopv being cast off4 the needle.

To impart the necessary vertical motion to points 5 relative to the narrowing frame 41, a` cam 61 (Fig. 23) is secured to cam shaft c. Upon ,the periphery of cam 61 bears a roller 68 (Figs.

20, 2l) supported upon the side of a linl 69 which, at its upper end, is pivotally connected to one of pivotally mounted upon Aa central cylindrical portion of screw shaft Mib which drives the narrowing rods ed carrying the narrowing combs (not shown). A cam i5 on the picot bar shaft 50 acts upon arm 11a to lift up the knife when the picot bar is swung down. Since the frame 1 is entirely supported and is not in motion and the movement of the'frame.

1 is solely that which is' imparted to it by cams 59 and 51. However, dur-ing the return transfer of the loops from the points to the needles, since this is accomplished during a portion of the ordinary narrowing motion when the narrowing frame 51 is in operation, the frame 1 has `the same motion as that of the narrowing frame.

To accomplish this transfer of the loops from the points to the needles, the cam shaft c is first moved through half a turn, this being the second half of its revolutiomand this brings the points 6 over the tops of the needles to their beard side and in such relation to the narrowing frame 21 that the narrowing frame in then going through its regular motion willdeliver Ythe 'loops from. the points to the needles. this delivery action the cam shaft c lremains at` During rest, the entire movement of the frame 1 being that which it receives by being carried by the narrowing frame. In returning the'loops to theneedles, the narrowing frame passes through its full cycle, but the rst half of this cycle is an idle operation, it. being the second half of this -upon a projection 15 of cross rod 8 beyond the side of the narrowing frame.. The gear 13 on shaft c is half the size of gear 12, so that shaft c will turn at twice the speedfof gear 12. Gear 12 is advanced by means of a ratchet 15 aixed thereto and a pawl 16 pivoted at 11 to a plate.

18, which is also -rotatably mounted upon the projection 15. A spring 1S connected to plate 18 urges the pawl 16 against ratchet '15. The

plate 18is" oscillated aboutprojectionfl by pull upon a link 80. pivotally connected to the plate 'wat 8l. y 'Ihere are only four equally spaced notches S2 the arms il adjacent the 'cross' bar 31. The I .portion of its knitting motion, vbeneath the roller in ratchet 15, and each oscillation of plate 19 under the action of link 90 must be sumcient in extent to advance the pawl 19, and thereby the ratchet 15, a quarter turn, and then return the pawl so that it will engage the next notch 92. The quarter turn so given to the gear 12 Arotates gear 13 and shaft c a full half turn. Each time that a pull is exerted upon link 80, therefore, the cams 59 and 61 pass through a complete half turn to cause frame 1 to go through a continuous motion either preliminary to the reception of the loops upon points 6 or preliminary to the transfer of the loops from the points back to the needles. To retain gear 12 in each of its quarter turn positions, a plate 98 having four quarter-- turn spaced notches 84 is ailixed on the outer. face thereof, and a spring pressed detent 95 en@ gages in the notches 84. 'I'he detent 99 andthe adjacent end of shaft c are supported by-arm 89 secured to cross rod 9. To prevent over travel of cam shaft c, it is provided with a brake drum 81 upon which constantly bears a brake shoe 91' supported by cross bar 9.

Pull is exerted upon link 90 by its pivotal connection at 88 to a plate 89 loosely rotatable upon control shaft b. Also pivoted to plate 89 at 90 is ahanging linky 9| having at its lower end a shoulder 92. To press upon shoulder 92 and draw the link 9| downwardly, a lever 99 is provided with a pin 94 projecting laterally therefrom, and which the shoulder 92 may underlie. Normally, however, the link 9| is held away, so that there will be no engagement between pin 94 and shoulder 92, by a pin 95 of a lever 96 pivoted at 91 to the machine framework.

Where the lever 9B passes control shaft b, it is the periphery of a circular plate the control shaft. A spring link 9| exerts a pull on this link, which, through its contact with the pin 95, draws lug 99 against plate 99. Plate' 99 is formed with notches 10| which, when brought opposite lug 99 b'y the rotation of control shaft b, allow the lever 99 to swing so as to withdraw the pin 96 at the lower end thereof away from the link 9|. This allows link 9| to move toward the bell crank lever 93 under the action of spring |00, so that shoulder 92 of the link 9| will lie underpin'94 of lever 93. One of the notches |0| comes into registry with lug 99 at the moment the loops are to be received upon the needles, and the other notch operated either by cam |02 or cam |03. 'Ihis constant motion, however, is not transmitted to link 9| until the moment that one of the notches |0| is in position to allow-the shoulder 92 of link 9| to move inwardly under pin 94. Inasmuch as shaft b does not make an immediate turn to break the connection between shoulder 92 and pin 94, it is evident that the downward pull on link 9| would be repeated and shaft c would consequently make more than the desired single half turn, if means were not presentto prevent this. I'hls means includes a detent |05 which is pivoted upon pin 88 and rides upon the periphery of plate 99. When one of the notches |.0I comes into registry with lug 98 and plate 89 is rotated counterclockwise to the position shown in Fig. a, the detent |05 drops into a small notch |0I' in the periphery of plate 99, and prevents return motion of'plate 89 in a clockwise 'provided with a lateral lug 99 which bears upon 99 alxed to. connected to relied upon comes into registry at the moment the loops are to be transferred back to the needles.

The lever 98 is afxed to 'a hub |22 which is oscillated about its pivot bolt |3| 'to cause pin 94 to draw link 9| downwardly, by one of the cams |02 and |03 upon the main cam shaft a, one of these cams being brought to act o nthe roller |04 carried by another arm extending from hub |32. During the step of receiving the loops upon the points from the needles, this being accomplished while the needle is passing through a the cam |92 is |04 to give the lever 99 the necessary motion. .When the loops are being transferred from the points to the needles, since spring |09 acts to this is accomplished during a' portion of the needle narrowing motion and the main cam shaft a has therefore been shogged endwise in the usual manner, the roller |94 rides upon caml |03 and this gives the required motion to lever It will be evident that the lever 99' is conltantly in motion, since its roller |94 is being 'l5 in turn, is pivoted by pin |09 to an arm side of the frame 1. A leaf f direction under the influence of spring |00. The lever 99 therefore merely moves idly and repeated actuation of shaft c is prevented.

This idle movement of lever 93 is maintained while plate 9971s advanced clockwise by shaft b to which it is connected. Such movement of plate 99 also forces lug 98 out of its notch |0| 4and carries shoulder 92 out of the range of pin 94. AThereafter the link 9| will not be actuated and shaft c will not be turned until .the other one of the notches |0| comes into registry with lug 99. When this occurs, the first notch |0| will be in such position that the detent |05 will drop into it when plate B9 is rotated counterclockwise-and will prevent repeated movements of shaft c.

As has been noted, the half turn rotation of cam shaft c which occurs after the frame 1 has descended, 1brings the points 6 inwardly toward the needles from the position of Fig. 7 to the position of Fig, 8, and further moves thev points through the steps shown in Figs. 9, l0, and 11. Thereafter regular knitting of the heel tabs is performed. During this knitting of the heel tabs, it is desirable that the points 6 move back and forth with the needles as the needles move toward and away from the press, in order to reduce the stress which otherwise would be placed upon the 'heel tab loops, if these loops were alone to move the points. To cause the points to so move with the needles, in accordance with the invention, a lever |09 (Figs. 19, 25, 27 to 31, inclusive) is provided which establishes a connection between the needle bar and thev frame 1 This lever |09 is fulcrumed at its center to a pin projecting from an angle plate |08, which,

| I0 extending from the turn lever |09 about pin |09 in a clockwise direction in Fig. 19 to bring plate |09 against shoulder H0' of arm H9, which acts as a stop. -At its lower end the lever |09-has a laterally extending portion ||I (Fig. 27a) which is formed with a notch ||2 and an inclined face H9. When the frame 1 is drawn toward the needles by the action of cam ,59 (Fig. 20), the inclined face III is brought against a cam ridge ||4 of a plate ||5 (Figs. 19, 27, andil) secured to the needle foar, and the lever |09l is thereby forced aside about the pin |99 against the action of spring |99' so that the notch ||2 embraces the cam ridge ||4.

To prevent the points 9 from' swinging in and aasacoi ment between cam ridge I I and notch-H2, a stop I I9 is provided. This stop limits the inward movement of the lower end of lever |06 and thereby thepoints 5.

'I'he .upper end of the lever |06 is held against motion at the time the inclined face II3 strikes cam IM by a pin II6 on the side of lever |06, which projects into a recessed portion III of a cam IIS (Fig. 29). In thismanner, the lever |06 is held in fixed relation to the frame "I, so that the notch II2 at the lower end of the lever will be forced into place upon the cam ridge I Ill.V

'I'he cam ridge IN has the shape shownin Figs. 27 and 31 in order to cause the points 6 to more exactly follow the movements of the needle bar. 'Ihis provision is desirable because the needle bar does not move up and down and back and forth in purely rectilinear paths, but, on the contrary, these motions are due to movements ofthe needle bar about pivot points as will remain at rest. Such a complete rotation of shown in Fig. 5 of the aforementioned Howie et al. patent. As the needle bar passes through these motions the relative movement of the notch I|2 along the cam ridge Il compensates for the pivotal mounting of the needle bar and causes the points 6 to have nearly the exact back 'and forth motion of the needle bar so that stress is not imposed upon the rst few courses of the heel tabs. A l

The cam I I6 is secured to the side of a ratchet wheel |20, which is rotatable upon a pin B2i projecting from the side of a bracket |22 secured to one of the arms II. Cam IIB is so Vshaped that upon its rotation by ratchet wheel |20, the upper end of lever |06 will be forced forwardly away from the machine. During this action, the lever |06 will turn about its lower end as a pivot, `and will thereby move the frame arms 'I forwardly-so as to move points 6 away from the needles. Such forward movement of points 6 occurs at the same rate that the heel tabs are knit, so that a take-up of the heel tab fabric is provided for .at least a few -of the rst courses. fg

To rotate the ratchet |20, and thereby cam |I 8, a pawl |23 is provided (Figs. 18, 25, 28). The pawl |23 is pivoted to an arm |20 secured to a sleeve |25 which is rotatable upon the fixed cross bar 23 of the machine frame. Also -amxed to sleeve |25 is an varm |26 to which is pivotally connected a link |21, the other end of this link being pinned to'a bell crank lever |26 pivoted to the machine Trame. From the other arm of the vbell crank lever I 26, a link |29 extends to an arm I 30 projecting from the hub` |32. Oscillation of hub |32 by roller |06 causes oscillation of arm |30. The cams |02 and |03 thus also serve to actuate pawl |23 for rotating ratchet |20, and since the roller |05 is constantly acted upon by one of these cams, the ratchet |20 and cam II8 may be moved step bystep.

Normally, the pawl |23 does not rotate ratchet |20, because the ratchet has a blank space I33 in which the tooth |36 of the pawl |23 moves.

Support |23' may be provided ^for pawl |23 to prevent wear up'on tooth'IIiIl during such idle movement. When, however, the arms II are lowered by they action of cam 61 at the time the points are'to receive the loops from the needles, the tooth |35 at the outer end of pawl |23 comes in contact with' a tooth of the ratchet |20 and starts its rotation. Thereafter theratchet will be rotated eitherby tooth |34 or |35 untila complete rotation has been accomplished, at which time the blank space |33 of the lratchet cam'I I8 preferably occursbefore the entire heel tab is knit. Thus, the cam H3 acts to move the points away from the needlesduring only the first several courses of the heel tabs to take up the knit fabric. Thereafter, the fabric which is knit may lie loose between thel points and the needles.

It has been stated that initially the pin ne or lever' |06 isin the recess IIT of cam IIB. Rotation of cam I|8 being clockwise, looking at Fig. j 29, the pin IIB is moved away from the axis of I I6 upon the ledge or shoulder II on the side of the cam IIS. During the knitting of theflnal part of the heel tabs the pin H6 remains upon this shoulder IIiI'.-' The shoulder Ii'I is elongated so that the pin IIS may move along it during the narrowing operations. Incline IM also disconnects notch H2 'from cam It.

The pin IIS should be upon theshoulder I6I before the heel tab narrowings are commenced. That is, the cam IIB should have completed its rotation by this time and tooth |35 should be moving idly in space I 33 of ratchet |20. To prevent a false movement of ratchet |20 at the time heel tab narrowings are being made, a lever I36 (Figs. 27, 31, 32, 33) is provided. This lever is pivoted upon shaft 23, vand has an amxed projection I3'I which may strike pawl |23 so as to lift it away from ratchet I20,as in Fig. 31. A coiled spring |30 tends to swing lever |36 tolift pawl |23, but this is normally resisted-by the contact of thel lower end of lever |36 against the cross bar-8 of the narrowing frame 01. Descent of the narrowing frame withdraws bar 8 from lever |36, so that thelever swings outwardly and .acts to lift pawl |23` When the narrowing frame not provided. Also, when the narrowing frame rises the lower/end of lever |36 is carried to the rear of cross rod 8 as shown in Fig. 27, by the guiding action resulting from the contactl o'f leve |36 against the picot bar shield |36'.

In addition to the progressive motion of points 6 away from the needles to take up thefabric of the heel tabs as they are knit, it will be clear that the points follow the back and forthmotion of the needles as the needles move to and away from the press bar 3a, this latter result being achieved by the presence of .lever |06. Movement of the needle bar-to and away frompress swings the lower end of lever |06 about the pin II6 at its upper end as a pivot, and' through the connection Vat |01 the arms are actuated to correspondingly move .the points 8 with the needles. By causing the points to move with the needles in this mcahner, the loops and the fabric between the needles and the points' are not stressed. If this connection were not provided,

is not restrained by ca'rn'69, because during this time .the `camIiQ is in -such position that one of the gaps between thevendso! cam pieces 6I and beyond the ends of the in. Y

s: (Fig. 24) is in une with the motion, of pin s1 with it the slide member 45 due to the engagement of pin 43 in cam groove 5|, and since follower pin 51 is connected to the slide member 45,

it is moved away from the axis of shaft c without interference, due to the space between the ends of cam pieces 8| and 62. u i

Narrowing of the heel tabs may be performed with the present apparatus in the usual manner. Forthis purpose narrowing combs -(not shown) may be secured to the slide bars 44 and receive their movements along the needle row from the screw shaft 44h. The up and down motion of the narrowing frame is derived from-links 48f (Fig. 25) which are connected at their upper ends to arms secured to shaft 8 of the narrowing frame, and are connected at their lower ends to the levers 48 which are secured to ashaft 49. Suitablecams (not shown) on the main cam shaft a serve to rock the shaft 49 and thereby actuate the narrowing frame.

-Inasmuch as the narrowingframe 41, when performing the heel tab harrowings, is swinging up and down, and thereby would tend to carry the frame 1 with it, the invention provides means to hold the hanging frame 1 upwardlyy during the narrowing operation and prevent the points 8 from descending and striking some part of the machine. For this purpose a curved arm |85 is loosely pivoted upon the shaft |8 to which the arms are secured.' The upper part of arm |85 has a curvedv `inner face |88.. which is urged against the fixed 'cross rod v23 by a coiled spring (not shown) surrounding shaft |8 within the vhub portion of lever |85. Up and down movement of the narrowing frame when the instep loops i and end loops h are being returned to the needles causes the face |88 to ride along rod 23, but this serves merely to turn the arm |85 about rod I8, since the arm is loose thereon. However, when heel tab narrowings are being performed the arm |85 is connected to the shaft |8, so that asdthe narrowing frame descends, the movement of the curved face |88 along the rod 23 will serve to turn shaft I8. Theface |88 is so shaped as` to cause the shaft I8 to turn the proper amount to elevate the arms and thereby. constantly maintain the pivot I2 for arms 1 in nearly the i same position.

This connection which is established between turning of plate |98 will carry with itl the arm |81 due to the projection of its pin into the opening of arm |81, and since the arm |81 is pinnedto shaft I8, this shaft will be turned and the arms which is loosely pivoted upon shaft I8. -A collar the arm |88 and shaft |8 includes an arm |81'- which is pinned or otherwise securedl to the shaft |8. An opening |88 is formed in arm |81 and into this opening extends a pin |89 projecting from the side of a plate |98 freely pivoted upon shaft |8 between arms |85 and |81. The opening |88 is considerably larger than the pin |89 and to hold the pin in fixed relation within the opening, oppositely disposed screws |9| extend into the opening |98. Adjustment of these screws |9| will vary the angular relation between the arm |81 and the plate |98 about shaft I8. v

Engagement between theI arm lll-ls established as desired by a pin |92 located las' and the plateneedle bar.

in the arm |88. This pin |92 may be urged outwardly of the arm |88 so as to lie in frontof a face |98 of plate |98. When the pin' |92 is in front of the face |98 of plate |88, it is apparent that the turningjmovement of'arm |85 due to its action against rod 28 will cause the pin |92 to bear against the face |93 of plate |98 and cause the plate to turn about the axis of shaft I8. This |98 secured to shaft I8 retains the lever |91 against the side face of the hub of arm |85. The free end of lever |95 extends into the path of a cam |99 on the camshaft c. When the lever 91 is upon the low part of cam |99, the low part of. the cam face |98 is in front of pin |92 so that the Vpin will be retracted under the action of spring |94. When the lever |91 is upon the high part of cam face |98, this being when the heel tabs arebeing knit, the high part of the cam face |98 will be in front of the pin so that it willl be urged before the faceV |93.` Therefore, during heel tab narrowing the hanging frame will be held up to the'same position it assumes during the knitting of the-heel tabs.

It is for the purpose of further insuring that the points 8 of the frame 1 will remain in nearly a fixed position during the performance of the heel tab narrowings that the cam groove 5Iv is provided. Due to the shape of this cam groove, when the frame 1 is being -held up by the action of arm |85, the swinging movement of slide bar 45 due to its being carried with the narrowing frame does not exert a pushing action upon frame 1. Instead, the pin 43 merely' moves back and forth along the cam groove 5| and exerts no swinging action upon the frame 1. Therefore, due to the combined action of arm and thel cam groove 5|, the points 8 remain in nearly a fixed position despite the fact that the narrow- -ing frame to which it is connected is in motion.

Since after the heel tabs have been completed and cast off, and after the loops hand i. have been returned tothe needles, the loops lying in the wale -h near the inner edge of each tab are to be speared upon needles so that the foot portion of the fabric may be knit from them, means are provided to make these wale loops excep .Patent No. 2,198,665, are employed, but in accordance with 4the present invention, these 4enlarging points are brought into operation and placed out of operation automatically.

. The two venlarging points |42 (Fig. 19) are secured in blocks |48 affixed to arock shaft |44, which is rotatable in bearings |45 carried by the Normally the rock shaft |44 is in the position shown in Figs. 18 and 19, so that the points 42 are away from the needles, and therefore inoperative. Rotation-ofthe rock shaft will ybring the two points |42 against the two needles which are to form the enlarged loops o f the heel tab wales. as shown in Fig. 28. The extreme ends of the points |42 enter the eyes 2a of the needles, so that the points will' freely enter the loops upon the needles as the needles and points,

move upwardly.

The Wale of large loops in one of is shown at l, in Fig. 2. It will be observed that the needle formingthese loopsl is the one next to the needle from which the end point lreceives the heel tabs its loop. Thus, if, as here shown, the points receive loops from three needles of the heel tabs, counting from their inner selvage edges, one of the enlarging points |42 contacts the fourth needle from that selvage edge. As shown in Fig. 4, it is these large loops l which are speared on the .needles after the loops on the points are returned to the needles, and the heel tabs are turned outwardly.

A coiled spring |46 encircling rock 'shaft |44 tends to rotate the shaft to bring the points against the needles. Rotation of the rock shaft |04 is controlled by a gear |61 affixed thereto and meshing with the teeth of a gear sector |46 pivoted at |49 to the needle bar. To prevent rotation of gear section |46 a bell crank lever |50 pivoted at |5| to the needle bar provides a stop shoulder |52 against which a corner of the gear section v|48 bears. A coiled spring |59 tends to turn the lever |50'to retain`l its shoulder |52 against the gear sector and `thereby maintain the enlarging points away from the needles.

To remove shoulder |52 from the gear sector |48 at the proper time, a member |54 is brought in position to be struck by arm |55 of the bell crank lever |50 to turn the lever about its pivot at |5|. The member |54 is secured to a link' |56 ordinarily present upon the machine and which, 4 at its rear end, is pivotally connected to one arm of a bell crank lever |51 (Fig. 18) pivoted to the machine lframework. The other arm oi bell crank lever |51 is formed with a projection |58 disposed to be contacted by a lug |59 of a member on the control shaft b. The forward end of link |56 may bethrust into engagement with the ratchet |60 of the fabric take-up drum to stop its rotation when the heel tabs are being knit. This prevents the full pull ofthe take-up from being exerted uponthe narrow heel tabs.

During normal operation, the member |54 is out oi the-fpath of movement of arm 155, the arm |55v having the same movement as the needle position. The rook shaft |44 1s thereby rotated to move the enlarging points to their inoperative l position.

'I'he forward movement of link |64 to turn gear sector |46 is caused by its pivotal connectionto an arm |65 secured to a sleeve |66 which is rotatable upon a xed rod |61 of the machine frame- Work. Another arm |66 afilxed to the sleeve |66 when actuated bythe lug |12 of the pattern .A

drum. A

It has been pointed out that shortly before the points 5 are to receive the loops from certain of the needles, the frame 1 is kicked forward from its upward position by movement of arm 20.'

As a safety measure, to prevent the frame 1 from moving downwardly if cam ||8 is inadvertently in an incorrectposition at this time, the invention provides means for holding the frame upwardly against the iniluence of arm 20. For this purpose, one of the arms of frame 1 is provided with a lug v|15 (Figs. 19, 27) which may be engaged by a shoulder |16 of a blockv|10 afiixed on theside of a lever |11, when; the lever is moved upwardly to bring the shoulder |16 in front-of A lug |15. Lever |11 is pivoted upon the cross rod 31 which connects Athe arms to downward position. This is the position which f bar. `Whenmember |54 is thrust into the path of movement" of arm |55, under the inuence of lug |55, the'lever |50 is tripped and the sector |48 and rock shaft |44 are rotated 4to bring the enlarged points |42 against their needles. .The lever |50 is .tripped in this manner at such an instant that the enlarging points will be in position against 'the needles to form large loops in The enlarging points |42 remain against the needles throughout the knitting of the heel tabs.

' To automatically withdraw the enlarging points from the needles and return them to their inoperative pomtion after this time, the gean sec-A. tion |46 is provided with a depending arm [6| from which projects. a pin |52 for engagement with a shoulder |55 of a link |54. During the knitting of the heel tabs, the descentfofthel needle bar brings the V'pin |52 Ainto a .position in front 'of and close to the shoulder |55. but nomovement is imparted to pin |52. At the time the enlarging points are to be withdrawn from' the needles,l the link |54 is drawn forwardly so that its shoulder |65 will be in the path of movement The force so exerted on pin |52 as it moves against shoulder |55 serves to turnr the gear sector |40 untilthe shoulder |52 on lever |55 moves inwardly lthereunder dueto the influence To operate lever |11, its forward end bears upon a cam |19 secured to the side of ratchet wheel |20 opposite from cam H6. Cam |19 has a hat peripheral portion which allows the lever |11 to'drop to a position such that the vblock |18 will be below the arc of travel of lug |15, and therefore thei shoulder |16 will not be contacted by the lug i 15 as the frame 1 moves the cam |19 should assume when it is kicked forward by arm 20. If the cam is in some other position due to the fact that cam ||8 and ratchet |20 are wrongly positioned, the lever |11 will be raised so that its shoulder |16will lie in the path of movement of lug |15 andl prevent for, ward movement of the frame 1. In this event, the operator manuallyturns the ratchet 20 to bring the flat or low point |50 of cam |19 under the lever |11.

A detent |8| (Figs. 31,. of ratchet |20 in one direction only.v Stop pins |82 limit rotation of lever |11 about cross rod 51to make certain that the lever |11 rests upon the periphery of cam |19. A recess |83 is formed in cam |19 just forward of the ilat face |90, for

the tip end of lever |11 to enter during the heel tab narrowings as this position tends in eiect to give a reverse motion torcama |19. It is at, the

times that the tip end of lever |11 enters recess |05 that the pin |6 of lever |01 rides upon the ledge or shoulder |4|'-.

After the heel tabs have been completely knit and have been cast oi! the needles, the loops onV of spring |55 and iocksthegefar sector in v76 machine. To assure such alignment. the frame 32) Permits rotation 

